By Aarushi Gupta, Investment Associate at LGT, India Venture Philanthropy, India
I joined LGT Venture Philanthropy (LGT VP) as a Fellow in August 2024 to work on Early Childhood Development in India, building what would become SIRA, a first-of-its-kind funder collective for Nurturing Care. Over the past two years, I’ve spent time in government day-care centres watching three-year-olds learn their ABCs, spoken at global events about the importance of early childhood investments, and debated strategies and Theories of Change (ToCs) until my whiteboard was full. Across my fellowship, no two weeks were the same. Here’s what I’m taking with me.
The art of storytelling
Whether you’re working on an investment memo for a pipeline deal, a Virtual Reality (VR) video script for your communications strategy, or a pitch deck for your fundraising presentation, I learned that good stories are can drive strong impact. I had to strip down an organisation’s complex work to what an investment committee weighs most, package highly technical, research-driven language into a human story that resonates with philanthropists hearing about early childhood for the first time, and tailor the same pitch for global and domestic funders with completely different priorities.
Understanding and catering to the priorities of every stakeholder we engaged was key to crafting a compelling narrative. Over my fellowship, I figured it out through a range of methods: in theory, as I researched funder priorities and effective use cases for each pitch, through practice, as I presented at ‘mock investment committees’ set up by the team, and through iteration, as I networked at sector events and slowly built my verbal communication skillset.
The case for taking your time
A background in consulting trained me to work under tight deadlines and fast turnarounds. While I’m grateful for the rigour and problem-solving skillset that built, the Fellowship gave me room to take time with a problem. When I started building the strategy for SIRA, I approached it as a three-month project, but it ended up taking almost a year and a half. Every stakeholder interview, newly published research paper, or government workshop led us down new paths, revealing insights that challenged our earlier assumptions. What we believed in month one was incomplete by month six and wrong by month ten.
Talking to ground teams, funders, and researchers, attending government workshops and panels deepened my understanding of the sector in a way that a quick review or mapping exercise could not. The runway meant that as we learned more, we incorporated new nuances, rewriting our theory of change dozens of times before arriving at something we felt confident in.
Your opportunities are what you create
Before this Fellowship, I thought philanthropy revolved largely around grant-making: money flows from donors to organisations, impact happens, and reports get written. At LGT VP, I experienced how catalytic capital can unlock systemic change, greater collaboration among funders, and more robust organisations.
Within the same role, I had the chance to develop strategy for SIRA, lead investment deals, write thought leadership pieces, develop a branding and communications plan, attend and speak at high-profile convenings, and pitch directly to funders. Learning across so many areas as I donned several hats was only possible because of a team that allowed me to try things, make mistakes and build new skillsets as I navigated workstreams. The experience will shape how I think about long-term impact and ownership long after the fellowship ends.
People are what make it possible
Across every workstream, from selecting portfolio organisations to pitching to funders, one thing stayed constant: values and culture-based alignment matter more than almost anything else for making progress. You can have the right strategy, the right capital, and the right opportunity, but it is critical to have the right people working with you, invested in longer-term growth.
I was lucky to find this alignment at LGT VP. Externally, we found portfolio organisations, co-funders, and ecosystem builders who truly understood the power of collaborating in a critical sector such as Early Childhood Development. They supported us as we navigated changing priorities, identified key challenges, and set up our strategy.
Internally, I worked closely with a team that trusted me with responsibilities and invested in my own personal development. The team’s openness to letting me shape my role, combined with honest feedback and a culture that recognised merit, made the fellowship what it was.
The LGT Impact Fellowship shaped how I think about ownership, impact, and the kind of environments I want to work in. I’m heading to business school in August 2026, where I look forward to applying these lessons among diverse peers. If you’re considering the fellowship and have questions about the experience, feel free to reach out!